Monday, November 9

Celebrating San Diego Beer Week by Cooking with Beer!

It's a great week to be in San Diego. Yesterday the Chargers beat the Giants in dramatic fashion; today is going to be sunny and 72; and all week long we're celebrating our first-ever San Diego Beer Week, which runs from Friday, November 6th through Sunday, November 15th.

You know San Diego for its pristine beaches and delicious fish tacos, but did you know we were recently named the country's top beer city, beating out the perennial favorite, Portland, OR? Yup. There are an amazing 33 San Diego breweries creating hand-crafted beers, and that's not including all the folks who brew their own at home.

So to celebrate our thriving craft beer community, there will be over 200 beer-centric events taking place across the county. From beer and chocolate pairings to meet-the-brewer events, there's something for everyone. So whether you live in San Diego or are just visiting between now and the 15th, check out San Diego Beer Week's schedule of events. You won't be disappointed.

As a San Diegan and a beer lover, I want to do my part. So this week I'll be sharing some recipes that feature beer. It won't be easy for me (or Jeff), but the blog must come first.

Today's recipe for Dill and Beer Quick Bread is adapted from an original posted on NPR's Kitchen Window, by personal chef and friend, Kevin Weeks, of the blog Seriously Good. Kevin also co-founded the blog A Year in Bread, so it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about making good bread. And trust me, this bread is seriously good and seriously easy. It tastes like rye bread but with more complexity thanks to the dill and beer. If you'd like less rye flavor and more dill, then just reduce the amount of caraway seeds and increase the dill. I indicated my slight adaptations in parentheses. As Kevin says, this bread is terrific for sopping up juices in stews, but it's also wonderful simply toasted with a smear of butter. Oh, and Jeff wants me to tell you that it makes one "kick-ass good breakfast sandwich" with eggs, cheddar, and bacon. So, there you have it.

2. In a large bowl stir together all ingredients and spoon into the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

16 comments:

Oh my, this bread looks fabulous! However, my husband claims cooking with beer is a waste of beer. Thus, I admire you and Jeff for putting the blog ahead of your personal beer consumption! Enjoy beer week!

it is just the weather for a nice cold beer for beer weeks - and for dinner -piece of that wonderful sounding beer bread with some chilli non carne made with beer! And for dessert beeramisu (I haven't tasted it but on local 'masterchef' television series one of the chefs did tiramisu with beer!)

pauline-Kevin specified a porter, which is a darker beer than Tecate. Honestly, though, I don't think it would make a big enough difference to worry much about. If you do try it with a lighter beer, please let me know how it turns out!